Entry #11: Hasta La Vista, Baby!

Hello, Future Blogging Students,

Congratulations, you are in for a treat! Instead of writing additional essays, you get to write blog posts! Though you may not be excited about this at first, I assure you that this is not sarcasm. I wasn't immediately a fan of blogging, but if you take it seriously, you'll get to the point where you will not only appreciate it, but you will also appreciate the lessons it teaches you about rhetoric.


Here's some tips from a seasoned blogger, myself:

-Get started on your blog posts at the beginning of your first week and keep up to date with them as much as possible. We all get busy and have a hard time fitting things in during the week, but trust me, writing 4 blog posts in one day is neither practical or fun.

-Write down notes about your daily experiences that you may want to expand on for your blog entries. Time and time again, I tried to convince myself to do this, but I would also reassure myself that I would remember what I wanted to write about. I didn't. Save yourself the time and frustration and at least send yourself a text about it.

-Only write about things that can be connected to your audience. If you check out my blog you'll see a few posts that are all about "me, me, me," but I hope that you'll also notice where I switched to making it more relevant to my audience. Always remember your audience!

-Try to always be engaging and keep the reader interested by making your post visually appealing. Again, you can look through my blog for both ups and downs in this aspect. Include lots of pictures where appropriate.

-Get to know your classmates so you know who you should go to for help with your essays. You can find people with similar views and writing styles who may be able to provide some necesary feedback. Take advantage of this.

-Most importantly....

Happy Blogging!!!

Entry #7: D'OH!

Do you ever think about how advertisements portray us and our society? If you don't already, you may start to think about it a little more after taking a look at the website Dumb Men.

Dumb Men features many advertisement videos in which the male characters are portrayed in a negative light. In one of the more popular videos, there is a father dipping his son's feet into a plaster mixture of some sort because they can't find socks that fit their feet.

 

As the father dips his son's feet in the bucket, his wife returns home and calls him stupid. She then suggests that they wear Hanes Comfort Fit socks instead. In their comments of the video, Dumb Men's blogger makes a good point saying that a person would almost have to be an alien to not know that there were better sock options available.

In this video, it shows that men are not smart enough to dress themselves and that they require help from a women to make smart decisions. Although the creator of this video may not have meant any harm to how people perceive men, it is all too common that men are depicted in this manner, so this only adds to the perception of men in a negative way.

Most people see these types of videos and rather than thinking deeply about them, they merely find them amusing. What about you? Did you ever think about this commercial or a similar one on a deeper level and come to the same conclusion about the way that men are portrayed?

Entry #6: Truth or Excuse?

 So many times we say, we can't do something, when what we really mean is that we don't want to do it. We tend to defend why we cannot, but in reality, it's not as important to you as what you would be doing instead. For example, sometimes my friend's will invite me out to a bar and I will tell them that I can't go. If you say that you can't do it, it's normally accepted with less of a fight.

When I tell my friend's that I can't go, it might go something like, "I really want to, but I can't. I need to do my homework." Sounds like a pretty legitimate excuse, right? That's because people usually understand that homework is important and that it needs to be done. It's a lie though.

I don't NEED to do homework. I will not DIE if I do not do my homework. I will not FAIL the class due to skipping the one homework assignment. And ultimately, because I am using an excuse, I do NOT really want to go.

SO what am I really meaning when I use this excuse? What I mean to say is, "Although I want to go, I want to do my homework more than I want to go out right now." That right there, would be the truth.

Let's not lie behind an excuse. There is no need to do so. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Let's work on making communication easy, and keep it that way. :)

Entry #5: Ready, Set, Go!

My time at my community college will be coming to an end in the near future, and because of this, I have been looking into my options of universities to transfer to. I live in Arizona, and like many other students, one of the colleges that I am considering attending is ASU.

I recently ran into an article called Arizona State University to offer more short classes which talked about increasing the amount of 7 and 1/2 week courses to be made available for students. I love this idea! As a math major and lover of math, I quickly grasp the concepts that some struggle to understand. Because of this, I find that I usually get bored in the normal 15 week course, and I need more of a challenge.

The article states that although ASU does not intend to rid the system of the traditional semester, they intend to significantly increase the amount of the shorter course option making it possible for people to graduate with a bachelor's degree in 3 years, rather than 4. I am all in favor of this. I truly would love to get my experience in my necessary courses and run with it.

Although I love this idea for math courses, there are definitely other subjects that I would prefer to take in the full 15 weeks in order to have a full grasp on the concepts presented.  With that said, everyone learns differently, so what may come easily to one person, may not come as easily to another. So how do you know if taking a shortened course will be beneficial to your learning style?

In order to know if a 7 and 1/2 week course will work for you, it is important to take into consideration the quickness of your learning in the subject area. It's also important to understand that the class will not only take twice the time to meet in person, but the weekly homework load will be doubled as compared to a week of the full length class. If you pick up on learning new information quickly and have the time to put into it, a shortened class may be extremely beneficial to you, but if you require more time and have less time to put into your homework, a full-length class may be the way to go.

Of course, we don't all have these options as we go into our future universities, but it seems that this may be a fast spreading concept. Look into it! Knowing that I can finish my degree a year earlier has already put me in favor of attending ASU, but I will continue to do research to see if this is an option at the other universities that I am interested in and if it interests you, I urge you to do the same. Good luck, and happy university hunting!

Entry #4: Jobs: It's as Easy as 1, 2, 3

Some people struggle with getting a job and some have a knack for it. For most, it's not about finding a job, but rather about obtaining it. When it comes to the customer service/food service industry, this is something that I believe I've mastered, almost as if it were an art. Perhaps you already have a job. If so, feel free to share this with a friend or family member in need of some advice.

Step 1: Make a resume. Many respectable workplaces will not even glace at your resume without having a resume attached. A resume shows that you are prepared and that you have planned out applying for the position. If you aren't sure what to include in your resume, please feel free to look at some examples here.


Step 2: Find professional but modest attire to wear for both picking up your application, and for your potential interview.

You might be thinking, why in the world would I wear something professional to pick up a piece of paper? The answer is "first impressions." First impressions are very important, even if you do not meet the hiring manager when you pick up your application.

Step 3: Go into the location in which you'd like to work during a non-busy time and ask for an application. If you are given a paper application, it is usually not appropriate to fill it out on the spot. Instead, take it home with you and fill it out, taking time to mention all qualifications and related skills.

If the applications for the location at which you'd like to work are online, ask if you can speak to the hiring manager before you leave. When you meet the hiring manager, hand them your resume in person while telling them your name. They will now have a face to associate with your resume and online application, and your chances of being hired will significantly increase. Make sure to fill out the online application as soon as you can so that they can quickly look up your information and put you in the perspective employee list. 

Food industries are slow from 10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm, and after 8pm. Managers tend to get off by 5pm, so the 2pm-5pm window is normally your best bet if you want a chance at them becoming more familiar with your face. You should only go on a day from Monday through Thursday as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are food industries busiest days. I repeat DO NOT go on weekends or when they are busy. In doing so, you are showing your blatant disrespect for their business and they will wave you off. They will do their best to remember your face, but in this case, it will be so that you will not be hired.


Step 4: If you receive a paper application, you should return it once filled out with your resume stapled to the front. Make sure that the time at which you return it is also another non-busy time. Ask to speak to the manager and briefly explain to them why you would love to work for them, and why you would be the best employee that they could ask for.

The second impression is also very important, so dress for success! The manager may wish to interview you on the spot, so be prepared with a pen and paper to write down any relevant information.

Step 5: If you don't receive a call within two days of meeting the manager, give them a call.

Persistence is a highly admirable trait and it lets the manager know that you really want the job. Sometimes a manager gets so busy that they lose information on a perspective employee that they would really like to hire, and without that two-day phone call, they would never have been put back in touch. Don't be afraid to show your interest.


Step 6: Repeat as many times as you see fit, and as always, REMEMBER TO SMILE.


As someone who has received many job offers within one job search, I like to think that this covers all of the basis. What do you think? Is there anything that I may have left out?

Entry #2: Life in the Fast Lane

"Hey. Hi. How are you? Good. Okay. Bye."

What happened to the good ol' days where we used to have nothing better to do than chat with the people we ran into on a daily basis? It always seems that we are being burdened when someone makes the friendly gesture of asking how we are. When did life get so busy that we couldn't stop for a moment to share that friendly moment?

I remember that while I was growing up, I would send letters to my friends and wait almost a week before getting a response. That's how we used to communicate. Now, we have house phones, and cell phones. We have computers within our houses, and computers within our cell phones. We are constantly connected with  those around us, for better or for worse. With this mass connection, we have actually created a mass disconnection. We have lost our patience, and have become dependent on receiving a response here and now. We don't have to wait. We are in the time of the here and now.

How has this changed us? How has being able to more easily communicate made our communication so much less valuable?

With the ease of communication, it no longer has significance that we can respond to a person; the effort is minimal at best. Writing a letter took time. Writing a letter took patience. Writing a letter took conversational skills. Writing a letter showed that we really cared. A text is nothing. A text is not personal. A text is not time consuming. We are no longer charged per message, and our messages lack importance. The connections that we once worked to form with people are conveniently continued through an occasional "Hey." Isn't this wrong?

I miss having really conversations with people. I miss real connections and knowing that people cared enough to put forth an effort. How about you? Have you noticed that as we have advanced in technology we have had a steady decline in communicational skills? What can we do about this?

Entry #1: Games, Beer and Food: How Could We Go Wrong With That?

Hey guys! I've been checking out some blogs today and thinking about their purpose.

Blogs can be used to keep friends and family in touch. Blogs can be used to share funny stories, or educate people about something they may have never thought about. Blogs can be used to reach any audience and share whatever information the blogger desires. This truly makes blogging interesting and unique. It's a page designed completely as a blogger would like, with the option to limit the viewers to whomever they like. It's a way to share who they are and how they want to be perceived now and in the future. Through my search today, I've found some fun and interesting blogs.

If you know me, you know how much I like playing games to pass the time. And if you don't know me, I'm sure that you'd agree that it's nice to kick back, relax, and play a game or two to help you unwind. If you do agree, take a moment to check out The Gameological Society. The Gameological Society is a blog specifically designed to provide lists of games that John Teti wants to share with the public. He's even gotten in broken down so that you can find cheap and free games, definitely my favorites!

Another blog I enjoyed was Beer Labels in Motion. The biggest reason that I enjoyed this blog was... wait for it.... that it was about beer (duh!). More seriously, I thought the animations of the beer labels were very unique and creative. If you are a fellow beer drinker, you'll enjoy that they get straight to the point and provide great flavor descriptions of the beers they have chosen to promote.

And last, but definitely not least, we have our blog about food! Looking for something to cook tonight? Check out 101 Cookbooks. Filled with tons of photos, and organized so well that you can find a recipe by ingredients, this blog is one helpful cooking tool. Be careful! Just one click, and you'll be hooked!

While reading through the blogs I definitely learn more about myself. I learn what my interests are, and where I lack interest. I've also noticed that I am a sucker for design.

One blog that did not make my list of favorites was Inky Fool. The simplistic design with black lettering and white background left me bored, and made it hard for me to give the content a chance. Though the blog contained photographs, they were nothing as exciting and 101 Cookbook's Coconut Quinoa Bowl!

What do you think is more important in a blog? Do you lean more toward the fancy looking blogs, or is it the content that counts? I know we say that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but can we make an exception in this case?